This invention relates generally to the field of bird decoys, and, more specifically, to turkey decoys which can be caused to change position in such a manner as to imitate mating behavior.
It is a well-known experience among turkey hunters that the desired male ("tom") turkey will become "hung-up", hesitating in the bushes and undergrowth at the edge of a clearing, making a clear shot difficult. It has also been noted that the presence of a receptive female ("hen") turkey will frequently stimulate an otherwise hesitant tom to enter an open area for purposes of mating with the hen. It is typical of such mating-receptive hens that they will drop suddenly and silently from a standing position to a squatting or more-or-less reclined mating position, thus visually stimulating the tom to approach and mount for breeding.
Accordingly, the new turkey decoy takes the form of a hen turkey and is adapted for simply and selectively imitating a hen turkey's mating behavior by a quick, simple change of position, from standing to mating-ready, in order to attract the tom out, into a more open area to provide an easier shot at the tom.
Previously, most bird decoys consisted of unitary carved or molded birds which would be placed to sit still in a field or to float about on a pond or lake. Some decoys have been developed which can be caused to move either mechanically or by means of a small motor. These decoys are generally intended to attract birds by imitating feeding or wing-flapping behavior.
The majority of previously issued patents relating to movable bird decoys have to do with water fowl. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,831,286 to Chelini teaches a decoy duck which is anchored to the floor of a pond and connected to the anchor with an elaborate system of levers, cords and wheels to provide a decoy that will be disposed into the wind at all times and to permit raising the decoy and causing the outstretching of the wings, to simulate a live duck when it is about to raise itself from the water preparatory to flying.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,295, issued to Woodhead, discloses a duck decoy attached at the neck to an anchor by a string and pulley mechanism to provide a mechanism for causing the decoy to bob forwardly to simulate feeding. A similar mechanism is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,485, issued to Thorsnes, Jr., for a goose decoy in which the neck and head portion pivots relative to the decoy body. U.S. Pat. No. 2,434,335, to Signalness is also for a duck decoy which imitates feeding behavior, but is connected to an anchor by stiff levers, rather than by cords. The latter is, however, caused to move by selective manipulation of a cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,787,074 to Miller illustrates a waterfowl decoy mount having a floatable base penetrated by a rod and stake combination for either selective securement or floating. Manipulation of an attached string causes the decoy to tip backwardly with its head raised, or to tip in various directions, to simulate the motions of flapping or stretching of the wings. A similar motion is imitated by the decoy of a second U.S. Pat. to Miller, No. 2,752,715, in which the waterfowl decoy is mounted for pivoting on a horizontal rod on a buoyant base, which base may be selectively fixed, or permitted to float. Again, tilting is induced by operation of a cord. In both Miller decoys the string is attached to the tail of the decoy bird to cause backward tilting by manually pulling on the string.
More recently, bird decoys have been developed with motorized movement. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,448, which issued to Jackson, discloses a waterfowl decoy with motor-driven wing movement. Another patent to Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,614 teaches a decoy in the shape of a turkey which is staked to the ground and exhibits a feeding motion by pivoting forwardly and upwardly by operation of a motor. A similar device is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,808 to Mitchell, illustrating a goose decoy, also staked in position and having a motor operated moveable head and neck to simulate feeding movement of the bird. These motorized mechanisms all necessarily create a certain amount of noise which may frighten away the very birds hoped to be attracted. Moreover, the small motors used in the above, motorized decoys must, by their very nature, be subject to wear, breakdown and replacement, which latter may be impossible at the critical point in time, for example, if the breakdown occurs during use in the field.
None of the prior art decoys is directed toward substantially silent, simple, string-activated straight, non-pivotal vertical movement of an entire decoy on the mounting mechanism, nor toward the simulation of the specific mating response of the hen turkey (or any other bird), in assuming a reclined mating position. Rather, the patented decoys show only feeding or general flapping and bobbing types of movement.
Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a turkey decoy which simulates the mating behavior of the hen turkey in order to lure tom turkeys into an area which might otherwise be avoided and to thereby improve the possibility of a clear shot at the tom turkey.
It is further among the objects of the present invention to provide a turkey decoy of the character stated which is of simple construction, for facile set-up and operation, and that is relatively inexpensive, so as to be more readily available to more potential users.
It is still further among the objects of the present invention to provide a turkey decoy of the character stated which is not motorized and has no moving parts, so that it may be operated substantially silently and will not wear out over long periods of use.
Accordingly, in furtherance of the above objects, the present invention is, briefly, a turkey decoy which is adapted for imitation of the mating behavior of a hen turkey. The turkey decoy includes a hen turkey body portion adapted for mounting on a support mechanism, and a support mechanism for presenting the hen turkey body portion in a standing position in such a manner that the standing position of the hen turkey body portion can be selectively altered to a mating position to thereby attract male turkeys which are close enough to see the turkey decoy but are hesitating to approach same.
The new invention is also, briefly, a new turkey decoy as above and wherein the support mechanism has first and second elongated members. The first elongated member passes vertically, substantially centrally through the hen turkey body portion and is fixed thereto and the second elongated member is secured vertically to the ground and is interconnecting with the first elongated member in releasably secure fashion, to thereby provide a means for presenting said hen turkey body portion in a standing position which may be selectively altered to a mating position by selectively releasing the securement of said first elongated member to said second elongated member.
Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.